EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: K-pop star and Got7 member Jackson Wang on his design philosophy
K-pop star, Got7 member, singer and creative designer Jackson Wang is on a whirlwind tour in Southeast Asia to promote his Team Wang design's new Sparkles – Mudance Summer Collection. Having arrived from Bangkok, Wang made his appearance at the specially-designed Mudance concept space in partnership with Club21 at Voco Orchard Singapore last night (4 August).
Having worked hard to grow his fanbase in the entertainment industry, Wang is dipping his toes into the fashion world, intending to carve his name in the streetwear scene. In 2017, he founded his record label Team Wang, and subsequently Team Wang Design, as a platform for his creative vision and imagination. Based on Team Wang's brand spirit, “Know Yourself, Make Your Own History,” he's following up his journey with his new fashion range, Sparkles – Mudance Summer Collection. It's dripping in pastel pink and flowers, and a nod to the season's floral aura and midsummer party mood.
Unlike most performers, Wang didn't get his start in the entertainment industry. Born in Hong Kong to parents who thrived in the sports world (his dad was a national fencer and his mother a gymnast), Wang became a national fencer at age ten and became an Olympic-level fencer eventually.
In an exclusive interview with Yahoo Life, the singer shared with us the philosophy behind his progress and the process of translating his ideas to reality. The upbeat Wang also wished he could be the CEO of Yahoo, much to our joy!
When we think of Jackson Wang, we see him as a singer and a creative designer. Where do you draw your inspiration from?
Wang: A lot of people have asked me, ‘What's the difference between athletes and what you do now?’ I think, to me, it's the same thing but with a different skill set. My vision is that [pauses] it might sound corny, but before I die, I want to leave something behind for our people. That and the people who support me, my family, my team, and my fans since day one when I’m still not good enough. At least they still take the time to see me evolve, as that takes a lot of energy and effort. I appreciate that, and I fight for that.
I want to circle back to when you said you're not good enough and you're still working on yourself.
Honestly speaking, like, if you go to any region, any country around the world, and you walk on the street, do they know Jackson? If they know, they can't name one song; you get me? I’ve never acted before, so they can’t certainly name movies or even dramas. To me, that's the answer. That's reality, right?
No matter how many visions, how many thoughts, how great your speeches, it doesn't translate [pauses], but I'm in the process of it, getting me, so I still believe in that.
Will we see a deeper or in-depth lifestyle extension to Team Wang Design?
I realised like, we can't [pauses] I can't have everything. You can't have everything in life. So I think I'll focus on this design, my records and the stuff I've been doing, but I’ll just get deeper and deeper every time. Maybe, I'll make like, shampoos or body lotions, something I would want. I always believe that music, dance, and fashion; that's art, so it's based on feelings.
With your new music, how do you want people to feel after they listen to it?
I want them to feel what they want to feel. For one thing that ten people are looking at, they will have ten different feelings. I want to thank them for spreading my work because that really means a lot to me. And thanks for watching me evolve and being on this journey with me together.
What's your creative process like? Do you like to pore through the details?
Whatever I want – even for the videos, the music, or even my design – it’s something that’s inside my head. And everyone’s different, with different personalities and visions, so how would you expect people to know 100% of what you want? So the only way to do it is to be hands-on with everything.
Whatever I want to do [pauses] is whatever I want to see in the market right now. And I never feel like ‘Oh, this season what is hot or not.’ I want to do that, and I need to do something that excites me. The two pieces I love the most in this collection are the bikini set and the tank top. Love them the most!
What do your friends think about your new collection?
A lot of friends, you know, they'll think, ‘Hey, Jackson you look so good,’ because they're my friends, so they're not going to tell me in my face like, ‘Hey, this is wack’ [laughs]. But I understand how people relate to it. And I feel like [the collection] got me excited.
Do you even have time to rest?
I never think that this is work because this is what I love, and I appreciate it. I feel thankful to have a life where I can wake up in the morning until the time I fall asleep. Even in my dream, I'm doing something that I love. Once you think it's work, you're done. It becomes a mission, homework. A lot of people ask me, ‘When do you rest? What do you do?’ And I say I don't mess when I rest. The hardest thing about it is, that everything is about preparation. When I rest, I always pray for the next one; I'm already prepping for the next two, or three launches already.
Any last words to Yahoo and our readers?
I’m the biggest fan, and since I was a kid I’ve always used Yahoo. Yeah, because you know how they have games on it. If you give me one wish, my wish is to become the CEO of Yahoo and then raise everybody's salary ten times but I’m Jackson Wang [laughs]! I'm so honoured to share this with you, Yahoo, and this is Mudance, a Team Wang design in Singapore.
Shop Team Wang Design's past collections here
Team Wang Design's Sparkles - Mudance collection is available at the concept pop-up concept store at Voco Orchard Singapore L2, from 4 to 31 August 2022.
